The Carefree Sect Dispersed, a Spirit Plant Found Along the Way

The Divine Kun's eyelids were half open, and golden beast blood flowed over the ground, forming several small streams.

Ommm...

The Divine Kun gave a low rumble. All the blood in its body flowed backward and gathered between its brows, merging into a golden pearl that flew toward Chen Wuyou.

Only after seeing Chen Wuyou accept the golden pearl did the Divine Kun slowly close its sun-sized eyes, its life force dissipating into the air.

"Divine Kun!"

Chen Wuyou wailed, stroking the Divine Kun's body with both hands. Streams of Earth Vein Qi rose from the ground and flowed into its body. Green grass withered to yellow for ten li around, the blight spreading outward at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Chen Wuyou wanted to revive the Divine Kun, but death was like a lamp going out. How could a mortal bring it back?

In the end, Chen Wuyou buried an entire mountain's vegetation with it, yet still failed to revive the Divine Kun.

At the shore of the Heavenly Master's Spirit Sea, Chen Wuyou used Earth Vein Qi to send the Divine Kun's body into the sea.

The Divine Kun was the divine beast raised by the Carefree Sect's ninth-generation patriarch, Chen Wuyou's master. It had been born in the Spirit Sea, and in death, it returned to the sea.

Chen Juyuan sighed. "We can no longer remain in the Carefree Sect. If the Grand Preceptor dared to attack in person, a god must have intervened to hold Ascetic Mountain back."

Yang Xiao looked at Chen Juyuan's right arm. It was gone. Strands of flesh stretched from the stump, trying to regrow, but a dark red power kept destroying the restorative energy. That power had been left by the dark red Spear.

Chen Wuyou asked with concern, "Patriarch, your injuries..."

Chen Juyuan shook his head. "It's nothing. I never expected the Grand Preceptor to be so determined to destroy our Carefree Sect that he would even bring out the Godslaying Spear.

"I'm going to the place where the ancestor disappeared to investigate again. If I can find him, we will surely avenge this grudge."

Yang Xiao was startled. Who else could the Carefree Sect's ancestor be but the Carefree Ancestor? Could such a being still be alive in this world?

Chen Wuyou said, "Patriarch, I'll go with you, so we can look after each other along the way."

Chen Wuyou was worried about Chen Juyuan's health. The old man had little lifespan remaining to begin with, and after that great battle, who knew how many days he had left?

"Master, we are willing to stay by your side and attend to you." The Lei siblings stepped forward.

Chen Wuyou glared at them. "Attend to me? This old Daoist isn't too old to walk yet. You've already learned the Carefree Scripture. This is the perfect time to find your fellow disciples and await the day when our Carefree Sect stands tall beneath the river of stars once more."

Yang Xiao looked thoughtfully at Chen Wuyou. The fellow disciples he mentioned couldn't be the Lineage youths who had climbed the mountain with him. Their Lineages had taken them away before the calamity struck. Why would Chen Wuyou send the Lei siblings to find disciples who felt nothing for the sect?

There was only one possibility: the Carefree Sect had had many disciples before they arrived, but Chen Wuyou, that old fox—cough, that wise old man—had sent them all away. Sure enough, no one who lived for hundreds of years was a fool.

Those scenes from his previous life's stories, where protagonists thrashed thousand-year-old monsters the moment they appeared, would be hard to come by in this world.

Chen Wuyou turned toward him, took the golden pearl the Divine Kun had left before its death from his robes, and offered it to him. "Give this to the Sky Marquis. Ask him to look after the Carefree Sect's disciples as far as his abilities allow."

Yang Xiao stepped forward to accept it and solemnly said, "I will personally deliver it into Uncle Tu's hands."

Chen Wuyou laughed heartily and gave him a meaningful look, then followed Patriarch Chen Juyuan using Shrinking Earth to Inches, their figures gradually vanishing into the distance.

Yang Xiao suddenly realized something. Heavenly Masters seemed to be rarer than Earth Masters. Chen Juyuan was an Earth Master, Chen Wuyou was an Earth Master, and most of the people on the mountain were Earth Masters.

"Here." Yang You'er handed him a chicken drumstick.

Yang Xiao smiled. He had no idea where the little girl had picked up that habit.

He took the drumstick and bit into it, filling his mouth with spiritual energy. It had come from a demonic chicken.

Turning around, he said, "Senior Brother, Senior Sister, why don't we travel together?"

Although he addressed them both, his eyes stayed fixed on Lei Miaoyan. Yes, first I'll lure my future wife home, then we can build our feelings.

Lei Jiuchen stepped between them, guarding against him as though against a wolf. "No need. We're heading different ways."

Yang Xiao opened his mouth, ready to deploy the techniques for handling a future brother-in-law that he had learned online in his previous life. But Lei Jiuchen gave him no chance, grabbing Lei Miaoyan and flying into the sky.

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, where are you going? Let me know so I can visit you someday!" Yang Xiao chased after them, shouting.

"Brother Xiao, they've already gone." Yang You'er came to his side with her little hands behind her back.

Yang Xiao slumped down nearby in dejection. Had his first romance ended before he had even held her hand?

The Star River Continent was enormous. Ordinary people could walk their whole lives without leaving a single domain. After this parting, meeting again would be far too difficult.

"Brother Xiao, where are we going now?" Yang You'er sat beside him, hugging her smooth, delicate legs and looking at him with her lively, wide eyes.

"Slaughter Heaven City, of course," Yang Xiao blurted out without thinking.

"Where is Slaughter Heaven City?" Yang You'er tilted her head at him.

Yang Xiao opened his mouth and tried to recall the way to Slaughter Heaven City, only for his mind to go blank. Apparently, no one had ever told him where it was.

After half a day on the road, the boy and girl arrived at the East City Gate of Falling Blossom City. Having never seen so many people before, Yang You'er stared around with wide eyes.

Though he didn't know where Slaughter Heaven City was, someone did. It would just take a little perseverance.

He settled Yang You'er in an inn. A place like the Perching Phoenix Pavilion wasn't suitable for girls; she might pick up bad habits there. Better to let a hot-blooded young man like him go alone.

"Remember, don't leave this room before I return.

"Don't trust anyone who talks to you.

"If someone tries to take you away, hit them... but go easy. It wouldn't be good to kill anyone."

Yang Xiao held Yang You'er by both shoulders as he instructed her. The little girl had lost her memories and was as innocent as a newborn baby, making her easy prey for bad people.

Since she was following him, Yang Xiao had to take responsibility for her. Purely responsibility.

Yang You'er stared at him with her wide eyes, then nodded solemnly.

Only after settling Yang You'er in did Yang Xiao feel comfortable heading to the Perching Phoenix Pavilion.

"Come in and have a look, sir!"

"Our girls are lovely and fresh, sir!"

Looking at the fiery enthusiasm of the girls outside the Perching Phoenix Pavilion, Yang Xiao instinctively took a step back.

The next moment, he clenched his fists, thrust out his chest, and walked into the Perching Phoenix Pavilion with a blazing gaze.

The first floor was exceedingly noisy, filled with men sneaking around behind their wives' backs or newly grown youths unable to resist temptation.

"Is there a girl you know here, sir? Will you stay for a night, or book a month?" A fair-skinned, beautiful... girl approached and expertly began introducing them. "This is Spring Blossom, a newcomer. Still untouched!

"This is Autumn Moon, a veteran of the Perching Phoenix Pavilion. She's very popular with our customers."

Yang Xiao coughed. "I'm looking for Li Xunhua."

The woman gave him a surprised look, then turned to lead him onward. "Upstairs, please, sir."

Glancing back repeatedly, the woman led him to a room. Yang Xiao vaguely remembered it. It seemed to be where his first time—Pah, I've barely been here!—where he had made his last deal with Li Xunhua.

The woman opened the door. "Please sit for a moment, sir. Madam Li will be here shortly."

The room's furnishings hadn't changed. The rose-covered bed stood out prominently, and a decadent atmosphere pervaded the room.

Yang Xiao walked over and sat on the bed, stood up, then sat down again. The Perching Phoenix Pavilion was far too ahead of its time. Even the bed was a waterbed.

The door opened, and a woman of around thirty entered, still brimming with mature charm.

Li Xunhua's eyes lit up at the sight of him. Her lips curved slightly as she swept aside her skirt, exposing her dazzlingly fair legs, and pressed him down onto the bed.

Yang Xiao struggled briefly. Fine, he wasn't as strong as she was. Li Xunhua's delicate hands pinned him to the bed like mountains.

A fragrance different from the room's scent drifted beside him. He only had to lower his eyes to see Li Xunhua's beautiful legs.

"Young master, have you come to see your Sister Li this time?" Li Xunhua crossed her left leg over her right, widening the slit in her skirt.

"I'd like a map to Slaughter Heaven City." Yang Xiao shifted to the left. The presence on his right was making him feel rather hot.

"How heartless of you, young master, abandoning me to go to Slaughter Heaven City alone." Li Xunhua covered her face and wept, squeezing out a single tear.

Yang Xiao glanced at her. Women really were all queens of acting. With skills like these, she could trounce most actors from his previous life.

He gave a bitter smile. "Sister... Li, can't we just make a proper deal?"

Li Xunhua chided him, "You little man, pretending to be so proper. Wait here. I'll fetch it for you."

With one hand on her hip, she swayed her rounded backside as she walked out. Just before disappearing, she looked back and cast him a flirtatious glance, making Yang Xiao want nothing more than to grab the map and flee.

A moment later, Li Xunhua returned with a map and stuffed it into his hand. "This is a map of the Heaven Domain. I've already marked the route for you. It's guaranteed to be the safest."

Yang Xiao's hand trembled. What was this supposed to mean? He had only wanted a map to Slaughter Heaven City.

Yang Xiao left the Perching Phoenix Pavilion questioning his life. Giving him a map of the entire Heaven Domain was one thing, but Li Xunhua hadn't charged him anything. Since when had pleasure houses started doing charity? Besides, it wasn't as though he lacked Earth Vein Crystals.

"Little Brother Yang Xiao, next time you see me, you must stay for a couple of days!" Li Xunhua leaned halfway out of a window, resting against it with a handkerchief in her hand.

Yang Xiao shuddered and ran toward the inn without looking back. There won't be a next time. I'm never coming to Falling Blossom City's Perching Phoenix Pavilion again. It burns through far too much hot blood.

When he returned to the room, Yang You'er was sitting obediently on the bed, waiting for him. She looked as though she hadn't moved a single step.

It was already evening, so Yang Xiao booked the room next door. He and Yang You'er would rest for the night before setting off again.

Lying on the bed, he took out the map of the Heaven Domain. Slaughter Heaven City was in the center of the Heaven Domain, while Falling Blossom City lay toward the west, fairly close to the desert.

They looked quite close on the map, but in reality, several hundred thousand li separated them.

At his speed, traveling from Falling Blossom City to Slaughter Heaven City would take several months. Many great mountains lay between them, giving Yang Xiao an opportunity to dig up Earth Vein Crystals and increase his cultivation.

At daybreak, he called Yang You'er, who never lazed in bed, to get up. After breakfast at the inn, the two followed the route on the map toward Slaughter Heaven City.

"Wait."

Yang Xiao spotted the great mountain to their left, and a gleam flashed through his eyes.

Up ahead, Yang You'er stopped and followed Yang Xiao's gaze, her eyes lighting up.

The two walked to the foot of the mountain, where Yang Xiao communed with the Earth Vein to sense its treasures.

Before long, Yang Xiao and Yang You'er arrived at a cave. The presence of a cave meant a demonic beast was guarding the Earth Vein Crystals here.

Resting his right hand on the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope, he held Yang You'er's delicate hand and entered the cave. Although her cultivation was higher than his, she would always be a little sister in his eyes.

—A common failing among men.

Using Earth Vein Qi to illuminate their surroundings, the two were like lamps in the night, carrying their glow deeper into the cave.

Awooo!

A foul stench spread around them as an Azure-Backed White Wolf sprang out. Its sharp claws gleamed white in the darkness, sending chills down one's spine.

Yang Xiao formed a hand seal. Four chains made from Earth Vein Qi shot out and wrapped around the Azure-Backed White Wolf's limbs, binding it to the ground as it howled.

When he approached for a look, it turned out to be only a demonic beast that had just entered the Sea Condensation Realm. In the past, Yang Xiao would have needed considerable strength and effort to deal with such a beast.

But since his Qi Sea had expanded to six hundred thousand li, dealing with demonic beasts that had only just entered the Sea Condensation Realm was easy.

Using Turning Magic into Weapons, he formed a Spell Blade, slit the Azure-Backed White Wolf's throat, and drained its blood. Another delicious demonic beast feast awaited them that evening.

The two reached the depths of the cave, where hundreds of earth vein crystals grew from the ground. A vermilion fruit tree stood above them, with four red fruits hanging from its branches.

Yang Xiao's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected to find a Spirit Plant. This was a treasure that appeared in only one out of ten great mountains, capable of rapidly increasing a cultivator's cultivation.

He stepped forward and picked the fruits, leaving behind ten Earth Vein Crystals. In a few years, there would be another crop of Earth Vein Crystals and Vermilion Fruits.